


send out the signal

by Oceantail



Series: Oceantail's MCYT fics [15]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: (kinda), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bloodvines Arc, Body Horror, Happy Ending, Human Skeppy, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Skephalo Week, Skeppy goes through a lot here, They both do, demon badboyhalo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29362059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oceantail/pseuds/Oceantail
Summary: If it means the death of meI won't let goAnd if I'm lost in the world's shadowsI'll use the light that comes to meFrom your halo...Skeppy sacrificed himself to save his best friend. Bad sacrificed himself to be with him again.The Bloodvines Arc, songfic “Halo” by Starset~~~Skephalo Week, Day 5: Song
Relationships: Skeppy & BadBoyHalo, Skeppy/Badboyhalo
Series: Oceantail's MCYT fics [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2003056
Comments: 8
Kudos: 128
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	send out the signal

**Author's Note:**

> partially inspired by @strawbkiwijuice's (from tumblr) demon core au

Skeppy didn’t know much about Bad’s background or his life before the demon traveled to the Overworld. He just knew that he used to live in the Nether, and not the safe, surface level Nether where Overworld beings had carved out and explored, but the deep dark core of the realm.

**_I can see you running, running_ **

**_Every night from the same darkness_ **

**_It's coming, coming_ **

**_But you are not alone_ **

All he knew is that on occasion, Bad would slip away from the home they created within smooth quartz walls and return to that world.

He always came back though, but he always came back different. Quieter, shakier, and just a little bit terrified, like he knew something that Skeppy didn’t.

_(Under the covers of blankets, Bad whispered that he was afraid something terrible was coming, something that was destined to destroy them)_

**_If you just say the word_ **

**_I'll be there by your side_ **

**_You make me more_ **

**_You make me superhuman_ **

Year ago, Bad had given him his core, the part of his soul that tethered him to the Overworld. Skeppy was never the brightest scholar, but he did do his research.

So long as the core was protected and safe, the host of the core and the demon were undying. But it was risky for a demon to entrust another living being with their core. A demon’s core could grant functional immortality to its host, but it also gave the host a form of control over part of their soul, something most demons would never risk.

Skeppy once asked why Bad didn’t just anchor his life force with an inanimate object like most demons and Bad just hugged him.

_(“Because I couldn’t live without you”)_

**_And if you need me to_ **

**_I will save you_ **

He would do anything for Bad. Bad loved him, entrusted him with the most important thing to a demon, the literal vessel of his immortality.

**_Send out the signal_ **

**_And I'll fly low_ **

**_If it means the death of me_ **

**_I won't let go_ **

They had been inseparable ever since. Though all the trolling and yelling and arguing and fighting. Through the countless wars on the server and the deaths and creations of countries.

**_And if I'm lost in the world's shadows_ **

**_I'll use the light that comes to me_ **

**_From your halo_ **

Bad wasn't an angel. He was a demon, that part was obvious. He didn’t exactly have that angelic halo that was told in legend and stories of old.

But Bad laughed at him when Skeppy pointed out that Bad was more angelic than demonic. _“Angels aren’t as nice as you think, Skeppy”_ he had said, smirking, tail twitching like an excited cat.

Skeppy had rolled his eyes.

**_Halo_ **

**_Halo_ **

_“But if it makes you feel better,”_ Bad had continued, walking towards him and looking directly into his eyes. _“You’re like my halo.” His clawed hand rested gently on the glowing blue core in the center of Skeppy’s chest._

**_When you're backed against the wall_ **

**_I could be the one who's always there to break your fall_ **

**_You are not alone_ **

The Bloodvines was a dark stain on their shared history, the most tragic and heartbreaking thing that had ever happened between them, a tale of miscommunication, sacrifice, and skewed senses of self-worth.

**_You're the Sun, you're the day_ **

**_The light that guides me through_ **

**_Never run, run away_ **

**_I will save you_ **

Skeppy saw it coming, he saw the bright red of Bad’s energy being sapped away until he was slowly being replaced by the ghost-white husk of himself, a puppet. He saw the bright red ginting in Ant and Puffy eyes and he was terrified.

**_Send out the signal_ **

**_And I'll fly low_ **

**_If it means the death of me_ **

**_I won't let go_ **

The Egg promised him that Bad’s core would be safe; it swore that if he gave himself up, then it wouldn't need nourishment from others. Bad would be free, the whole server would be free, and bonus, Bad’s demon core would be safe forever. _Bad_ would be safe forever.

The obsidian crumbled beneath his diamond pickaxe and the Egg closed around him, sinking beneath his skin and tearing him apart.

**_And if I'm lost in the world's shadows_ **

**_I'll use the light that comes to me_ **

**_From your halo_ **

He only saw red. He only _felt_ red. Burning, scorching pain that ripped him apart from the inside. He barely felt his own body, only the ever growing red vines that pulled him apart and dug deep into his very soul. He couldn’t even scream.

The Egg devoured him. It felt like his very skin was tearing away from his bones.

He was dumped onto the floor of the statue room, wriggling bright red bloodvines curling around him, cutting and squeezing and throbbing. His mind felt hazy and lost, and he couldn't control any of his movements, could just watch himself talk like he was dissociating from himself.

**_Send out the signal and I'll fly low_ **

**_If it means the death of me_ **

**_I won't let go_ **

When Bad approached, Skeppy tried to hold onto him, to shout at him, to do _anything_. He wanted Bad and the core to be safe above anything else. _I won’t stop loving you_ , he yelled at Bad in his head. _I saved you!_

But his mouth didn’t follow his thoughts and he watched his own body move against his will, attacking Bad and running. The haze of pain was ever-consuming and Skeppy’s mind nearly collapsed in on itself.

He had never wanted to die more than he had in that moment.

**_And if I'm lost in the world's shadows_ **

**_I'll use the light that comes to me_ **

**_From your halo_ **

Bad knew Skeppy was still there. Even though Bad was still under the influence of the Egg, he was still mostly _himself_. And Bad knew that Skeppy was still there, locked in the confines of the red imposter version of himself.

They tried everything, yelling old insides jokes, telling stories, the holy water, _everything_.

Skeppy couldn’t break free.

**_(And if I'm lost in the world's shadows_ **

**_I'll use the light that comes to me)_ **

**_Your halo_ **

**_Your halo_ **

**_Your halo_**.

He could still feel Bad’s core deep inside him, but he was trapped and suffocating in the red haze of the bloodvines, the red tendrils invading his mind and his heart and his body.

He clung onto it, the last remnant of Bad. It was like the faintest balm for the ravaged expanse of his soul.

**_I won't let go_ **

**_I won't let go_ **

**_I won't let go_ **

**_I won't let go (I won't let go)_ **

Months and months passed and Skeppy was barely holding onto a shred of his own identity. The Egg hissed at him, mocking him: Bad had given himself up in exchange for Skeppy.

Skeppy begged for someone to save them.

**_And if I'm lost in the world's shadows_ **

**_I'll use the light that comes to me_ **

It felt like it lasted an eternity.

When the Egg was destroyed for good, Skeppy sobbed as the tendrils that had been embedded in his skin for months burned away, searing fiery pain ripping across his whole body. The core was dim, blinking faintly in time with Skeppy’s racing heartbeat.

Bad was crying too, holding him close to his chest, spaded tail gripping Skeppy’s arm desperately.

**_From your halo..._ **

When every inch of red was finally torn away from his skin, Skeppy blinked back tears and opened his eyes to Bad’s face hovering over him, white eyes glowing bright like a beacon of hope.

His best friend was shaking, trembling as he gently traced the outline of Skeppy’s normal, human skin with a curved claw.

Skeppy was so weak, he could barely do more than stare up at Bad.

With a faint _hum_ , the core glowed bright blue again and Skeppy let out a choked laugh and clung to Bad tighter. Bad rested a hand over the core and pressed their foreheads together tenderly.

**_Your halo_ **

**_Your halo…_ **

**Author's Note:**

> i had a lot of fun writing this one, the bloodvines arc is amazing i love it so much
> 
> ~~
> 
> according to Ao3 statistics, only a small percentage of people actually leave comments on fics. So if you enjoyed this fic, please consider commenting, it makes me happy and it's completely free!!!


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